Cash. Lucre. Rhino. Call it what you will, 'tis a lovely thing. Business holdings, lovelier still. But while the value of currency fluctuates, and business empires crumble, boons are far more lasting. A boon can endure, unchanging, for centuries. Indeed, a boon can e'en outlive the immortal who owes it!

'Tis this lasting power makes boons the medium of exchange par excellence for Kindred; 'twas the need for this sort of immutability gave birth to our system of Prestation.

Finding one's self in another's debt can be an awkward thing, and acknowledging that debt painful. Paying the debt may be a sweet relief, or it may be e'en worse. How much more painful, 'tho, the derision and disrespect, the loss of status and possibly e'en unlife, which awaits the craven who becomes known as a shirker of debts or an oathbreaker?

Acknowledging one's debts is therefore not merely a mark of character: ours is a brutal world, a world of darkness, and acknowledging one's debts ~ in the form of boons ~ can be instrumental in prolonging one's stay in it.

Case in point: our own Prince Peretti. Heimish McCullough and Marcus Blackwell are likely to come to Bruno's defense again and again, as he represents a sizable investment...until such time as the debt is discharg'd. His Grace id doubly clever in so honourably acknowledging his debts; should he be slain ~ perish the thought! ~ the individual responsible would assume his debts. What better deterrent to a would-be assassin than the threat of owing the likes of Heimish and Mr. Blackwell Life Boons?

Before I launch into an explanation of the various types of boons, I should note that a boon is a binding contract between two individuals; there is no need for a boon to be formally register'd and a matter of public record. By all means: incur and discharge your debts in private.

But consider the many benefits of formal acknowledgment: besides the protections elucidat'd above, there are added benefits for both debtor and debtee. What if the debtee demands payment not befitting the level of boon? What if the debtor refuses to pay? What recourse have either party? The involvement of a third party ~ be it society at large, or the Harpy alone ~ serves to avert such unpleasant eventualities.

THE BOONS & ACCOMPANYING EXAMPLES

A one-time favour, generally involving little or no inconvenience to he who bestows it, may warrant acknowledgment of a TRIVIAL BOON. E.g., Roger of Clan Toreador doesn't really feel like chatting with the visiting Archon; he's done nothing wrong, but the man is such a bore! Seeing Roger's upset, Moll the Nosferatu cloaks them both just before the Archon turns the corner. Once he has pass'd, both Roger and Moll have a good chuckle ~ and Roger proffers Moll a TRIVIAL BOON.

The task perform'd to warrant a MINOR BOON generally involves some degree of inconvenience, and may extend o'er sev'ral nights. E.g., Roger places all of his substantial resources at newcomer Rage's disposal o'er the course of sev'ral months, allowing the Brujah to get his less-than-legal business operations up and running. Rage repays this MINOR BOON by serving as the effete Roger's bodyguard.

It takes a great expenditure of time or resources to warrant a MAJOR BOON; the individual may e'en have subject'd himself to some risk. E.g., Rage instructs Moll in the Discipline Presence; she repays this MAJOR BOON by hiding Rage in the sewers when his irate Sire comes to town.

Risking one's assets, associates, or perchance unlife merits a BLOOD BOON. E.g., Moll leaps to Felicity's defense when she chances to spy the hapless young Ventrue beset by a small band of hunters. Felicity's Sire ~ seeing their wounds and knowing full well Felicity would have met Final Death without Moll's intervention ~ offers Moll a BLOOD BOON. Later, in the privacy of his own haven, he chastises Felicity for her carelessness, and for putting him in the awkward situation of being utterly beholden to the Nosferatu Elder.

A LIFE BOON may be claim'd when one has quite literally laid one's unlife on the line to save another's. Reciprocation in kind is requir'd to discharge this terrible debt; until such time as the debtor saves his savior's unlife, the latter may ask anything of the one owing the bone ~ ANYTHING ~ and he shall receive it. E.g., The Sabbat attack on the Chantry was sudden and unexpect'd. Three acolytes met Final Death, and the Regent would have join'd them had Rage ~ now Elder of Clan Brujah ~ not smash'd through the burning wreckage of the front door, fought off the pack, sustaining terrible wounds, and dragg'd the Regent's torpor'd form to safety. The Tremere Elder owes his Brujah counterpart a LIFE BOON. Until such time as he saves Rage's unlife, he is Rage's to command in all things. (Arguably, the Tremere would be wise to appoint a new Regent...)

May's Gather prov'd well-attend'd, although the threat of cloudbursts ~ and subsequent damage to his coiffure or his leather leggings or ~ perish the thought! ~ his Manolo Blahniks ~ meant our dear Benvolio was in absentia yet again.

And another absence warrants mention, as it result'd in the postponement of the promis'd ~ and oh! so sorely need'd! ~ instruction in the Traditions; to wit: Mlle. Dragonclaw was nowhere to be seen. Mademoiselle, I beseech you: present yourself to me, receive this tuition, demonstrate your new-found understanding to the Prince, and all will be well, Hospitality restor'd. Given the price upon your tender head, you are sorely in need of the protection that can afford.

As noted in April, this lecture is mandatory for Mlle. Dragonclaw & Mlle. Sabine ~ with heart-felt apologies for the earlier misnomer, dear Sabine! ~ but open to all. The address, when it occurs, shall be held in the Tremere Chantry, that we might avail ourselves of their chalkboards; warm thanks to Mde. Blackfeather for this gracious courtesy.

And speaking of courtesy...in May the Primogen & I were witness to an appalling lack thereof on the part of Wolfram of Clan Gangrel. Allowances are made, dear Wolfram, for your...atavistic...nature, but the level of belligerence which you have now repeatedly brought to the Council Room cannot be further tolerat'd. Two months ago, you & Mme. Blackfeather came nigh unto fisticuffs; this month, you call'd the Sheriff to account in tones increasingly vociferous & unpleasant.

Without taking a position as to who was in the right & who in the wrong, what was most int'resting about this encounter was not your hurly-burly, Wolfram, but rather the Sheriff's complete & utter aplomb ~ Marv rose not once to your baiting, but spoke only in calm & measur’d tones...and this from a Brujah! At the risk of somehow offending dear Heimish once again, the Harpies commend you, Marv NoTears, for a level of discipline & control worthy of your status & station.

In closing, note that further boons have been publicly register'd by Prince Peretti. As the list of boons acknowledg'd by His Grace lengthens, Bruno grows concern'd & the Harpies bemus'd...I rather suspect some instruction is requir'd in the elaborate system of prestation which has serv'd so well as currency amongst our kind for so long, as no one but Bruno is availing himself of it. Look, in the coming nights, for further words ~ on the subject of Boons ~ from this Harpy...

April's Gather was the poorer for the absence of any number of Atlanta's citizens; the absences of Victoria Vanderwolf, Cicero Giovanni, and all of Clan Brujah were especially dispiriting.

On the other hand, the presence of a number of new arrivals brighten'd Elysium's halls; Atlanta's Harpies encourage all to join them in extending a warm welcome to Casseus, Kurt, Raven & Serena.

Many present at April's Gather were witness to the regrettable necessity of Mlle. Cassandra Blackfeather's public castigation. Effective in May, provid'd she proves able to curb her caustic tongue & speak in more measur'd tones, as befits the setting, she is once again welcome to attend meetings of the Primogen Council as representative of House & Clan Tremere. (Her status effectively remains that of Neonate.)

The reason for this prodigious leniency? There are two:

1. The grace & aplomb ~ and welcome silence ~ with which she bore her quite public humiliation.

2. The fact that ill-breeding & boorishness have been discover'd to be endemic to higher echelons of House Tremere; can the apple really be held to account for failing to fall far from the tree? We think not.

Mlles. Rheanna Dragonclaw & Serena are lauded for their touching ~ albeit odd ~ show of solidarity with the aforemention'd Mde. Blackfeather. Such esprit de corps is to be commended. Well done, ladies, well done.

And speaking of said ladies...a shocking benightedness was revealed this month regarding our Traditions. It is all well and good for a Bedlamite to think there are fifteen Traditions, but it behooves her Elder to ensure that the first six she can recall are the Camarilla's! Shirley Maynard-Rhys shall be offering tutelage ~ mandatory for Mlles. Rheanna Dragonclaw & Serena, open to all others ~ in May at a time & location to be announc'd.

Kindred Kyra and Satara are commend'd for their defense of the City at great personal risk to themselves. They are awarded Major Boons ~ as recorded with the Harpies ~ on behalf of the Administration.